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Picture having a free evening. You're feeling refreshed, open to experience, and looking to break from your regular habits of evening scrolling. Your options is your oyster! Would you opt for a) attending a concert or b) engaging in intimacy? The outcome, as typically seen with these sorts of hypotheticals, is obviously: “That depends.” Thinking adults might logically inquire: what is the show? Who is the partner? Will it be expected to be good?

Not many would select a Limp Bizkit/Slipknot/Korn triple bill if the alternative was a dream date with Jonathan Bailey. Yet change either end of the comparison, and it becomes less obvious. Regarding the thousands surveyed presented with this choice through a major concert promoter, no further context was offered – and the response came out unambiguously and strongly supporting live music events.

Study Data Reveal Unexpected Trends

A global report, polling 40,000 people aged between 18 and 54 in 15 markets, showed that concerts currently stand as the number one form of entertainment, ranking above games, films and – absolutely – intimacy. When limited to one type of activity for the rest of their lives, a significant portion chose gigs, against watching movies (17%) and games (14%). The group was over two times as prone to select watching their top musician on stage (70%) instead of sex (30%).

You arrive hopeful of being pleasantly surprised – and regularly you could wind up with a stranger's hair in your mouth

Perspectives and Analysis

Of course it's expected that a PR survey commissioned by a live event company would result so strongly in favour of gigs – and, with the speculative mood of a either-or question, if your favourite artist is, such as a legendary singer, one can appreciate why attending his concert might win out instead of a routine situation. Yet this two-option scenario between gigs or sexual activity, plainly ridiculous even if it seems, is interesting to consider amid the peculiar juncture we’re at with both.

The Evolution of Concert Culture

In recent years, gig-going has become not just a communal experience but a serious endeavor. Event companies duly point out that large venue turnout has “grown significantly annually”, and live events get booked up quicker than before. Just obtaining tickets now needs extensive preparation, quick decision-making and bottomless pockets (or a high spending capacity). Though you manage, it isn't sufficient to simply turn up and watch the performance. Currently there is an expectation, particularly with pop fans, that you might enhance your return on investment by going multiple times (even travelling internationally), studying the song selection ahead of time and understanding the rituals to hit and fan traditions established by previous crowds.

Numerous attendees admit to scarred by their attendance at popular events: appearing as a scripted production of thousands of people, to which particular fans arrived not knowing the routine. The extended concert series, producing huge revenue, showed of the lengths to which fans will travel to experience a historic occasion and experience their top musician play, though the actual music seems increasingly overshadowed by the production.

The Situation of Contemporary Sexuality

Sex, by contrast – a relatively cheap and accessible pleasure – faces challenging circumstances. According to contemporary studies, approximately 25% of adults engaged sexually in an typical week, while just under a third were not engaging. In another major country, recent data showed that a significant portion of adults said they had not sex at all in the last twelve months, rising from lower numbers in earlier years. In both territories, the shift has been associated with reduced intimacy in youth demographics. Contrast this with the sector booming for large concerts and the cutthroat competition for admissions. Certainly it’s not as simple as a basic option between either option – “do you prefer experience a popular event often, or avoid intimacy?” – but it might be an sign of which is perceived as the more consistent satisfaction.

Interesting Comparisons

Intimacy and concerts are closer aligned than you might think. Both represent the activation of a bond, a actual experience of impressions or possibility that may have developed just in your mind. You arrive with a general notion of the probable outcome, but hopeful of being pleasantly surprised – and how it ends up satisfying or frustrating rests largely on how your vibe and expectations align with others. Regularly you might find with a stranger's hair in your mouth, and following be hanging out for a cigarette and some quiet time alone. And, in both cases, substances and drinks can either enhance or lessen the experience (but certainly help the most unpleasant occasions simpler to handle).

Seeking Harmony

The appeal to concerts and intimacy hinges on finding that perfect combination between comfort and excitement, consistency and change, challenge and comfort. Certainly it's uncommon – but it's the recollection of when they did, the understanding that it can happen, that inspires us to try again: to {